Protective means for rocketpropelled missiles



fi- 1962 P. NAUSCHOTZ ETAL 3,

PROTECTIVE MEANS FOR ROCKET-PROPELLED MISSILES Filed Jan. 18, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jnven/q n: PE 75,? Am usu/orz ERIC/l Pun/172m n/fm'fx saw/245A Dec. 25, 1962 P. NAUSCHUTZ ETAL 3,069,975

PROTECTIVE MEANS FOR ROCKET-PROPELLED MISSILES Filed Jan. 18, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 3, hfiiS Patented Dec. 25, 1962 3,1369975 PRGTECTEVE MEANS FOR ROCKET- PROPELLED MISSHES Peter Nauschiitz, Munich, Erich Planitzer, Nurtingen, and Werner Schindler, Gttobrunu, Germany, assignors to Biilkow-Entwiciriungen K.G., Gttobrunn, Germany Filed Jan. 18, 196i}, Ser. No. 3,052 Claims priority, application Germany Jan. 28, 1959 17 Claims. (Cl. 891.7)

The present invention relates generally to protective means for rocket-driven missiles, and particularly to pro tective means employable for missiles of the type which are guided to the target by operation of a person who remains on the launching site. Control signals in the form of electric pulses are sent or reieased by the person observing the target and are transmitted to the missile over a lone wire loop which unwinds therefrom. Such signals influence the operation of trajectory control means which protrude, perpendicular to the direction of the missile travel from respective rudder sides or control faces of the missile.

If such missiles are manually carried to the anticipated launching site and are projected from the ground without any special auxiliary devices or :aids, it becomes often impossible to avoid rough handling of the ready to launch missile.

The missiles are usually transported without a protective cover, in order to save weight and particularly to reduce the starting time. Consequently, the trajectory control means or elements which can be very easily de formed, as well as the electric connections which easily become inoperative due to contamination, are exposed without protection to weather conditions such as rain, snow and sand storms, which impair their proper functioning.

A missile which sustains damage to its control and transmission elements cannot be safely guided, after its launching, toward a predetermined target.

In view of the foregoing, it is an important object of the present invention to provide means eifectuating the obviation of the aforesaid and other disadvantages of the launching of nr'ssiles.

It is another object of the invention to provide means facilitating, until the firing of the missile, the closure of apertures thereof which are provided for the passage of the reaction jet, for the trajectory control devices, and for the connecting cables and signal lines.

It is a further object of this invention to provide means ensuring the automatic opening of said apertures upon launching or firing of the missile.

The arrangement can be such that aperture-closure caps are automatically detached when the missile is launched.

Pursuant to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the rear end of the fuselage of the missile is closed by means of a removable cover provided with locking elements to lock protective caps, which cover the trajectory control devices, in their efiective position.

The cover has a moisture-proof duct on the outwardly facing side, which serves as a multiple threaded pipe into which a connecting piece or handle is screwed.

The inwardly facing side of the cover is in the form of a coil which receives the individual layers of the connecting lines and cables, combined into a compound line, for storage inside the missile.

The caps, according to the invention, protect all elements of the missile which are particularly sensitive to mechanical deformation or contamination.

It is still a further object of the present invention to provide means whereby the person handling the missile can launch the missile in a simple and time-saving mannor without formation of an inextricable snarl of lines, which greatly hinders the start of the missile or even makes it altogether impossible.

These and other objects of the invention will become further apparent from the following detailed description, reference being made to the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings which illustrate the best modes presently contemplated for carrying out the invention:

FIG. 1 is a perspective View of a missile provided with the protective device according to the invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates the missile, on a reduced scale, with the protective device removed therefrom;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view, on larger scale, showing the protective caps covering the trajectory control devices;

FIG. 4 is a section taken along the line IV-IV of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a section, on an enlarged scale, taken along the line VV of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is a section through the rear end of the cover for the missile.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, there is shown a rocket-propelled missile 40 having a fuselage 1 (FIG. 1) provided with rudders 41, which are arranged thereon in the form of a cross. The rudders are provided with control surfaces or faces 2. The faces are provided, sub stantially in the rear third of the missile, with housings 3 for the trajectory control devices 4.

The trajectory control means 4 are constituted by flaps which protrude in a varying degree from the missile surface, perpendicularly to its direction of travel, to change the direction of the missile trajectory.

Each control housing 3 has a trajectory control device 4 (FIG. 4) whose actuating means are not illustrated. In the inoperative position thereof the trajectory control device 4 protrudes to the extent of several millimeters, in the position shown in FIG. 4, at both sides of the respective housing that is, from the effective surfaces of the rudder faces 2.

In order to protect the delicate devices 4 against injury and the housings 3 against the penetration of drift sand etc., protective plastic caps 6 (FIGS. 1, 3, 4 and 5) are provided. The caps are substantially U-shaped in cross section (see particularly FIG. 4) and are arranged to extend at both sides of the spoiler housings 3, as shown in FIG. 4, and are locked in the inoperative position of the missile.

To this end each cap 6 has one arm 7 which extends over an abutment 8 of the associated housing 3 and slightly encompasses the surface of the associated rudder face 2, as best seen in FIGS. 1 and 4. In order to prevent the caps from sliding off, each arm 7 is provided, on its side facing the housing, with a recess 8a complementary to the abutment 8 for receiving the latter.

The other arm 9 (FIG. 4) of the respective protecting cap 6 serves as a protection for a locking element 10, hereinafter described. One side of said element 10 is embraced by a recess 9a provided for this purpose on the inside face of arm 9 (located opposite arm 7), and the other face or side of element 10 is embraced by a recess 11a provided in a projection 11 secured on or forming part of the respective housing 3.

Each protective cap 6 also has, on its side facing the control flap 4, a groove 12 extending over the entire cap length and two shorter grooves 13, 14 arranged symmetrically thereto. The grooves 12 receive the protruding flaps 4, while the grooves 13 and 14 receive leaf springs 15 riveted, as at 42, to the protective caps. The protective caps are provided also with packing strips 16 (see FIG. 5) of rubber, plastic or a similar material, which prevent the penetration of'drift sand, dust, moisture etc. into the control flaps or devices 4 in the locked position I of the protective caps. Care has to be taken in the selec- 3; tion of the material for the packing strips so that the material does not form an adhesive bond between the protective cap and the surface 5 of the rudderor control face, even after prolonged storage.

The rear end of the fuselage, in which are housed, for example, the missile drive mechanism 17 (FIG. 6), the wire 18 for the transmission of the signals, arranged coaxially of the drive, and other parts not illustrated, is closed by a removable cover 19, shown in section in FIG. 6. Cover 19 is provided in its center with a moistureproof duct 20, which serves, on the outwardly facing side of the cover, as a multiple threaded pipe 21 into which a connecting piece or nipple 22, formed as a handle, is threaded. The inwardly facing side of the cover 19 is constructed as a coil reel 23 which receives the single 'layers 24 of the connecting lines for storage in the in- .terior of the missile and combined into a compound line 30.

The diametrally opposed extensions 25 of the cover 19 are anchored, in recesses 26 thereof, by straps or stirrup members 27 of the locking elements 19 which are formed as U-shaped wire devices. The arms of the locking elements each extend along the controlor rudder faces 2 of the missile and their ends extend between the opposing projections of protective cap 6 and control housing 3, that is, the projection 11 and the arm 9.

The cover 19 has a collar 28 extending into the fuselage. The collar is provided with a packing strip 29 of the previously described type, which prevents the penetration of drift sand, dust and other foreign substances, as well as of moisture, into the fuselage.

In the transporting condition of the missile, all apertures provided for the passage of the reaction jet, the trajectory control flaps, lines and connecting cables etc. are closed, so that neither corrosion-causing moisture nor sand or dust, which might impair the operating readiness of the missile, can penetrate into the interior thereof. The trajectory control flaps, which are so sensitive to mechanical damages, are also completely protected.

Shortly before the start of operation, the connecting cable 30, which contains the ignition, signal and other lines, is connected to cover 19 by means of the connector member or piece 22, formed as a handle, upon rotation of the connector member. The plugs of the connector piece 22 (not illustrated) pierce through a diaphragm which seals the duct in moisture-proof condition and establishes the desired connection between a conventional guiding device (not illustrated) and/or a conventional distributor box and the missile body. When the end of the connecting cable 30, remote from connector 22, is anchored in the ground and the missile launched, the cover 19 is disengaged from the fuselage, due to the rearward thrust produced by the starting drive or by the ignition of the running drive. The locking elements 10 slide out of the position thereof shown in FIGS. 3 and 4- so that the protective caps 6 move, under the bias of the v leaf springs 15, about the abutments 8 which serve as fulcrums, in the direction of the arrows 32 and are thus cast off. The trajectory control flaps 4 can now protrude unhindered from the trajectory control housings 3.

The cover 19 can also be separated manually from the fuselage 1 by a short strong pull in the direction of the arrow 31 (FIG. 6). Here too the locking elements 10 slide out of the position thereof, shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, so that the protective caps 6 are detached in the above described manner. After anchoring the cover 19, or the respective cable 30, in the ground, the missile is ready for launching as shown in FIG. 2.

Various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention and it is intended that such obvious changes and modifications be embraced'by the annexed claims.

Having thus described the invention, What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A rocket-propelled guided missile comprising afuselage, control rudders extending from said fuselage, trajectory control means mounted on said rudders including flaps displaceable out of the plane of said rudders, said fuselage having an aperture for the passage of the reaction jet of the missile, removable caps enclosing said control means, a cover for the fuselage aperture and arranged for removal therefrom, and means for locking said caps including means carried by said cover and movable upon removal of said cover to unlock said caps.

2. A missile as set forth in claim 1, said cover including a moisture-proof duct provided with a threaded member on the side of the cover facing outwardly of the fuselage, and a handle member in threaded engagement with said duct.

3. A missile according to claim 2, said handle member constituting a connector device for said lines leading to the missile.

4. A missile according to claim 3, including a coil receiving form provided on the cover side facing inwardly of the fuselage for storing said connecting lines within the fuselage.

5. A missile according to claim 1, said locking means forming U-shaped members anchored in said cover and engaged with said caps.

6. A missile as set forth in claim 5, the trajectory control means being mounted in housings provided in said rudders, the caps overlying said housings, and said U- shaped members having arms engaged in complementary opposing recesses defined in said caps and housings,

7. A missile as set forth in claim 6, the caps being U- shaped in cross section and each having a longitudinal portion which covers an aperture for a trajectory control means, an abutment provided in each housing, each cap having one end engaged with an associated abutment, and the other end of each cap having defined therein a recess engaged by the U-shaped locking member.

8. A missile as set forth in claim 7, each cap having defined in its inner face three laterally related grooves, the center groove receiving the associated trajectory control means, and spring means provided in each of said other grooves to eject the associated cap from the fuselage when the associated U-shaped locking means is disengaged therefrom.

9. A missile as set forth in claim 1, including packing means between the caps and cover and adjacent portions of the missile.

10. A guided missile comprising a fuselage having a rear opening for exhaust gases, a rigid rudder control surface extending outwardly from said fuselage, control means disposed on said rudder control surface including flaps displaceable out of the plane of said rudder control surface for controlling the flight of said missile, a cap covering said control means, a cover closing the rear opening in said fuselage, and cap locking means locking said cap over said control means and being connected to said cover and movable upon removal of said cover to unlock said cap.

11. In a guided missile comprising a fuselage having a rear opening for exhaust gases, closure means for said rear opening, a rigid rudder control surface extending outwardly from said fuselage and control means disposed on said rudder control surface including flaps displaceable out of the plane of said rudder control surface for controlling the flight of said missile, the improvement comprising a protective device including a cap covering said control surface, and locking means holding said cap on said control surfaces including a portion connected to said closure means and being movable with said closure means to release said cap from said control surfaces.

12. In a guided missile construction according to claim 11, wherein said caps include portions elongated in a direction outwardly from said fuselage and a portion closely adjacent said fuselage, a stirrup member holding the portion adjacent said fuselage in a locking position, said stirrup member extending rearwardly in the vicinity ofthe fuselage opening.

13. In a guided missile including a fuselage having a central power means and a rear opening for exhaust gases, a plurality of rigid rudder control surfaces extending outwardly from said fuselage, control means disposed on at least one of said rudder surfaces including flaps displaceable out of the plane of said rudder control surface for controlling the flight of said missile, the improvement comprising releasable exhaust gas opening cover and control surface cap arrangement, including a cap covering said control surfaces, a cover closing said rear exhaust gas opening, said cover having a drum portion for storing control cable on the interior of said missile and having a central opening for the passage of the cable therethrough, means closing said central opening, and a releasable stirrup detachably connected to said fuselage and to said cover and locking said cap on said control surface, said cover being removable upon actuation of said power means to release said stirrup and release said caps.

14. A guided missile comprising a fuselage having a rear opening for exhaust gases, a rudder control surface extending outwardly from said fuselage, control means disposed on said rudder control surface including flaps displaceable out of the plane of said rudder control surface for controlling the fiight of said missile, a cap elongated in a direction outwardly from said fuselage covering said control means and releasably pivotally connected at its outer end to said rudder control surface, a stirrup holding the inner end of said cap over said control surface and extending to the rear opening of said fuselage for exhaust gases, and a cover member closing said rear openings, said stirrups being releasably anchored on said cover member and being deflectable upon removal thereof to release said caps.

15. A guided missile according to claim 14, wherein said cover member includes an inner spool portion for winding control cable thereon, a central opening through which said control cable is passed, and a cable compound including a cover portion closing the opening in said cover.

16. A rocket-propelled guided missile comprising a fuselage, a plurality of control rudders extending from said fuselage, trajectory control means mounted on each of said rudders including flaps displaceable out of the plane of said rudders, removable caps covering said control means, said fuselage being provided with an aperture for the passage of the reaction jet of the missile, a removablecover closing said fuselage aperture, and locking means for said caps including a portion connected to said cover and effective to release said caps upon removal of said cover.

17. A rocket-propelled guided missile comprising a fuselage, rigid control rudders extending from said fuse lage, trajectory control means on said rudders including movable flaps, means for storing connecting lines inside said fuselage, said fuselage being provided with a rear section jet and connecting line access aperture, protective cover means for temporarily sealing said control means, and means closing said aperture, and locking means for said caps including a portion connected to said protective means and responsive during launching of the missile and removal of said protective cover means to uncover said aperture.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,776,623 Bonner Jan. 8, 1957 2,803,168 Robert et a1 Aug. 20, 1957 2,826,120 Lang et a1. Mar. 11, 1958 2,946,285 Nauschutz et a1 July 26, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS 372,635 Germany Mar. 31, 1923 1,173,322 France Oct. 27, 1958 OTHER REFERENCES Missiles and Rockets, vol. 2, No. 10, October 1957. p. 112, French Missile Production. 

